Enhanced user interface elements in ambient light

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of enhanced user interface elements in ambient light are described. Sensor inputs can be received from light sensors that detect ambient light proximate an integrated display of a portable device. A determination is made that the ambient light detracts from the visibility of user interface elements displayed in a user interface on the integrated display. Display properties of graphic components of a user interface element are interpolated through a light range from approximately complete darkness to full sunlight, and the graphic components of a user interface element can be modified based on interpolating the display properties within the light range to enhance the visibility of the user interface element for display in the ambient light.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/257,596 filed Oct. 24, 2008 entitled “EnhancedUser Interface Elements in Ambient Light”, the disclosure of which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Portable computer devices are increasingly more common and mobile, suchas laptop computers, tablet PCs, ultra-mobile PCs, as well as othermobile data, messaging, and/or communication devices. Portable devices,however, are susceptible to environmental conditions and may not beusable in a car or outdoors due to bright sunlight or a darkenvironment. User interfaces are typically optimized for display onvarious devices in an indoor environment where lighting can becontrolled. Computer graphics and imaging has become more complex,allowing for smaller text, subtle details, and more visual features thatcan be obscured or imperceptible on the display of a portable device inbright sunlight, or that may be distracting in a dark environment.

Some devices may include a display brightness adjustment for ambientlighting conditions. Typically, a screen display can be adjustedbrighter to compensate for bright or high ambient light, or the screendisplay can be adjusted darker to compensate for low ambient light sothat the display is not so glaringly bright. In some deviceimplementations, the display brightness can be adjusted manually by auser of the device, and in other implementations, an ambient lightsensor can be utilized to automatically adjust the display brightness.However, adjusting the display brightness only changes the entiredisplay from a low contrast display to a higher contrast display, andvice-versa. Particular elements and/or features of a user interface maystill be obscured or imperceptible, such as in bright sunlight even ifthe display brightness can be adjusted.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce simplified concepts of enhanceduser interface elements in ambient light. The simplified concepts arefurther described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is notintended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter,nor is it intended for use in determining the scope of the claimedsubject matter.

Enhanced user interface elements in ambient light is described. Invarious embodiment(s), a sensor input can be received from lightsensor(s) that detect ambient light proximate an integrated display of aportable device. A determination can be made that the ambient lightdetracts from the visibility of user interface elements displayed in auser interface on the integrated display, and graphic components of auser interface element can be modified to enhance the visibility of theuser interface element for display in the ambient light.

In other embodiment(s) of enhanced user interface elements in ambientlight, the vector graphics or other imaging data that defines each ofthe graphic components of a user interface element can be redefined tomodify the graphic components to enhance the visibility of the userinterface element. Further, the graphic components of the user interfaceelement can be individually modified to contrast with a user interfacebackground displayed in the user interface on the integrated display. Inan embodiment, the display properties of the graphic components of theuser interface element can be interpolated along a normalized lightrange to modify the graphic components to enhance the visibility of theuser interface element for display in the ambient light. For multipleuser interface elements displayed in the user interface on theintegrated display, the visibility of each user interface element can beindividually enhanced and/or each of the graphic components can beindividually modified to enhance the visibility of the user interfaceelements for display in the ambient light.

In other embodiment(s) of enhanced user interface elements in ambientlight, the sensor input received from the light sensor(s) that detectthe ambient light can be compared to a threshold value that indicateswhen the ambient light detracts from the visibility of the userinterface element displayed in the user interface on the integrateddisplay. The threshold value can indicate that the ambient light is toobright, such as on a sunny day when the portable device is used outdoorsand user interface elements do not contrast, or are washed-out, in alighter colored user interface background in the display of the userinterface. Alternatively, the threshold value can indicate that theambient light is too dark, such as when the portable device is used in avehicle at night and user interface elements do not contrast, or areindistinguishable, from a darker colored user interface background inthe display of the user interface. In another embodiment, the sensorinput can be received from multiple light sensors and averaged todetermine an averaged ambient light proximate the integrated display ofthe portable device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of enhanced user interface elements in ambient light aredescribed with reference to the following drawings. The same numbers areused throughout the drawings to reference like features and components:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example system in which embodiments of enhanceduser interface elements in ambient light can be implemented.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of an enhanced user interface element inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a normalized ambient light range inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of enhanced user interface elements inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 5 illustrates example method(s) for enhanced user interfaceelements in ambient light in accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 6 illustrates various components of an example device that canimplement embodiments of enhanced user interface elements in ambientlight.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of enhanced user interface elements in ambient light providethat user interface elements can be optimized to enhance visibilityand/or readability in adverse ambient lighting conditions. Userinterface elements, such as any type of image, graphic, text,user-selectable button or control, menu selection, map element, or otherdisplayable feature can be contrasted and modified as individualcomponents to enhance the visibility of each user interface element whendisplayed in a user interface. The visual enhancement of user interfaceelements can appear as a seamless transition to improve the overalllegibility and/or readability of a user interface to optimize a visualuser experience, reduce eye strain, and/or enhance the reading comfortof a user through a range of many lighting conditions, such as fromdarkness to direct sunlight.

A portable device with an integrated display can include an ambientlight sensor, or multiple light sensors, to detect the ambient lightingthat is local, incident, in a vicinity, or otherwise proximate theintegrated display of the portable device. When the ambient light isdetected as being too dark or too bright, and likely to detract from thevisibility of a user interface displayed on the integrated display,various user interface elements of the user interface can beindividually modified to enhance their visibility in the ambientlighting conditions. The shadows, highlights, and other visual featuresthat can make user interface elements difficult to see in adverselighting conditions can also be adjusted manually in good lightingconditions to aid in user accessibility.

While features and concepts of the described systems and methods forenhanced user interface elements in ambient light can be implemented inany number of different environments, systems, and/or variousconfigurations, embodiments of enhanced user interface elements inambient light are described in the context of the following examplesystems and environments.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example system 100 in which various embodiments ofenhanced user interface elements in ambient light can be implemented.Example system 100 includes portable device 102 (e.g., a wired and/orwireless device) that can be any one or combination of an ultra-mobilepersonal computer (UMPC) 104, a mobile phone 106 (e.g., cellular, VoIP,WiFi, etc.) that is implemented for data, messaging, and/or voicecommunications, a portable computer device 108, a media device 110(e.g., a personal media player, portable media player, etc.), a gamingdevice, an appliance device, an electronic device, and/or any other typeof portable device that can receive, display, and/or communicate data inany form of audio, video, and/or image data. Portable device 102 canalso be implemented as a navigation and display system in a vehicle orother form of conveyance.

Each of the various portable devices can include an integrated displayand selectable input controls via which a user can input data. Forexample, UMPC 104 includes an integrated display 112 on which a userinterface 114 can be displayed. In this example, the user interface 114is a navigation map that includes user interface elements 116, such asany type of image, graphic, text, selectable button, user-selectablecontrols, menu selection, map element, and/or any other type of userinterface displayable feature or item.

Any of the various portable devices described herein can be implementedwith one or more processors, communication components, media contentinputs, memory components, storage media, signal processing and controlcircuits, and a media content rendering system. Any of the portabledevices can also be implemented for communication via communicationnetwork(s) that can include any type of a data network, voice network,broadcast network, an IP-based network, and/or a wireless network thatfacilitates data, messaging, and/or voice communications. A portabledevice can also be implemented with any number and combination ofdiffering components as described with reference to the example deviceshown in FIG. 6. A portable device may also be associated with a user(i.e., a person) and/or an entity that operates the device such that aportable device describes logical devices that include users, software,and/or a combination of devices.

In this example, portable device 102 includes one or more processors 118(e.g., any of microprocessors, controllers, and the like), acommunication interface 120 for data, messaging, and/or voicecommunications, and media content input(s) 122 to receive media content124. Media content (e.g., to include recorded media content) can includeany type of audio, video, and/or image media content received from anymedia content source, such as television media content, music, videoclips, data feeds, interactive games, network-based applications, andany other content. Portable device 102 also includes a device manager126 (e.g., a control application, software application, signalprocessing and control module, code that is native to a particulardevice, a hardware abstraction layer for a particular device, etc.).

Portable device 102 can include various media applications 128 that thatcan be processed, or otherwise executed, by the processors 118, such asa navigation application that generates the navigation map as userinterface 114 for display on UMPC 104. Portable device 102 includes acontent rendering system 130 that can render user interfaces from themedia applications 128 to generate a display on any of the portabledevices. Portable device 102 also includes an element display service132 that can be implemented as computer-executable instructions andexecuted by the processors 118 to implement various embodiments and/orfeatures of enhanced user interface elements in ambient light. In anembodiment, the element display service 132 can be implemented as acomponent or module of the device manager 126.

In this example, portable device 102 includes light sensor(s) 134 thatdetect ambient light proximate an integrated display of the device andgenerate sensor input 136 to the element display service 132. In animplementation, the element display service 132 can receive sensor input136 as an illuminance value that is a measure of the overall magnitudeof the ambient light level which is measured in units of LUX, or lumensper square meter. Sensor input 136 can also be implemented to includecolor temperature which is a measure of the warmth or coolness of theambient light, and is measured in units of degrees Kelvin. Sensor input136 can also be implemented to include the characteristic of chromacitywhich is a spectral characteristic of light based on a 2D coordinatesystem.

In an embodiment, the element display service 132 at portable device 102can receive sensor input 136 from multiple light sensors 134 and averagethe sensor input to determine an averaged ambient light 142 proximatethe integrated display of the device. Because ambient light sensors on adevice can be partly or fully obscured by shadows or other objectscovering the sensor, multiple sensors positioned some distance apart canbe implemented to provide an overall approximation of the currentlighting conditions. In an implementation, the most recent sensor inputdata values for each ambient light sensor can be retained, along withthe time stamp from a sensor data report for each of the inputs. Basedon the most recent sensor input values, the highest sensor input can beused as the sensor input 136 because the highest sensor input is likelyreceived from a light sensor 134 that is not obscured.

In an example, UMPC 104 can include light sensor 138 that senses, orotherwise detects, ambient light 140 (e.g., natural lighting, orlocation-specific lighting) that is local, incident, in a vicinity, orotherwise proximate the integrated display 112 of the portable device,UMPC 104. The element display service 132 can receive sensor input 136from light sensor(s) 134 and determine that the ambient light 140detracts from the visibility of various user interface elements 116displayed in the user interface 114. For example, shadows, highlights,and other visual features can make user interface elements difficult tosee in adverse lighting conditions.

In various embodiments, the element display service 132 can then modifyindividual graphic components of each user interface element 116 toenhance the visibility of the user interface elements for display in theambient light. The user interface elements can be visually enhanced toimprove the overall legibility and/or readability of a user interface ina transition of the user interface elements that optimizes a visual userexperience, reduces eye strain, and/or enhances the reading comfort of auser. The graphic components of a user interface element can beindividually modified to contrast with a user interface backgrounddisplayed in the user interface on the integrated display, and thevisibility of each user interface element can be individually enhancedfor display in the ambient light. A user interface element 116 can bedisplayed as a compilation of graphic components, and vector graphics orother imaging data separately defines each graphic component of the userinterface element. A vector graphic includes the data that defines how agraphic component of a user interface element is displayed, such asshape, size, and color definitions.

In various embodiments, the element display service 132 can redefine thevector graphics, or otherwise modify imaging data, that defines agraphic component of a user interface element to modify the graphiccomponents to enhance the visibility of the user interface element.Further, the element display service 132 can be implemented tointerpolate display properties of the graphic components of the userinterface element along a normalized light range to modify the graphiccomponents to enhance the visibility of the user interface element fordisplay in the ambient light. In other embodiments, the element displayservice 132 can receive sensor input 136 and compare the sensor input tothreshold value(s) 144 that indicate when the ambient light 140 detractsfrom the visibility of the user interface elements 116 displayed in theuser interface 114 on the integrated display 112 of a portable device.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example 200 of an enhanced user interface elementin accordance with one or more embodiments. Example 200 includes aselectable button 202 that can be displayed on a user interface as auser interface element. The selectable button 202 is a composition ofindividual graphic components 204 that are each defined by vectorgraphics. In this example, the graphic components 204 include an elementborder 206, an element color 208 (i.e., separate from the element border206), element text 210, an element shadow 212, an element highlight 214,and a semi-transparent element feature 216 (e.g., that provides atranslucent effect over the top half of the button).

In an embodiment, the element display service 132 (FIG. 1) of a portabledevice can receive can receive sensor input from light sensor(s) anddetermine that the ambient lighting conditions detract from thevisibility of selectable button 202 (i.e., a user interface element)when displayed in a user interface. The element display service can thenindividually modify, alter, enhance, or remove any one or combination ofthe individual graphic components 204 of the selectable button 202 toenhance the visibility of the selectable button for display in theambient light. For example, an enhanced button 218 can be generated fordisplay in a bright lighting condition that includes enhanced graphiccomponents 220, such as a thicker element border at 222, larger andbolder element text at 224, and a larger offset of the element shadow at226. In this example, the element highlight 214 and the semi-transparentelement feature 216 are removed from a display of the enhanced button218 because they would likely be washed out in the bright lightingcondition. Other enhancements can also be implemented in addition to, orinstead of, the enhanced graphic components 220, such as contrasting acolor of the element text 210 with the background element color 208,increasing the size of the button itself, and any number of otherenhancements.

In various embodiments, the transition from selectable button 202 to theenhanced button 218 can be graduated over a normalized light range as aseamless transition to optimize a visual user experience through a rangeof many lighting conditions, such as from darkness to direct sunlight.For example, the element border 206 can be transitioned from the borderas it appears around selectable button 202, through one or moreadditional thicknesses, to the appearance of the border around enhancedbutton 218.

In various embodiments, user interface elements can be scaled to enhancevisibility for display in ambient lighting conditions. Generally, largerobjects, features, images, graphics, text, and other displayablefeatures of a user interface are easier for a user to see and use when aportable device is utilized in a bright light condition, and the largeruser interface content can improve the legibility and/or readability ofa user interface. In an embodiment, a zooming function can be utilizedto scale user interface elements to enhance their visibility.

In other embodiments, contrast and/or color enhancements can be utilizedto enhance visibility for display in ambient light conditions. When anLCD screen is used in a bright lighting condition, the overall contrastof the screen is reduced, such as when sunlight washes out the screenthat can cause imperceptible dark areas on the screen. The contrast ofthe user interface can be increased and/or a monochrome content schemecan be utilized to maximize contrast in a high ambient lightingcondition. Another way to increase contrast is to replace low contrastcontent, such as an aerial photo in a mapping program, with highcontrast user interface elements, such as black on white street vectorgraphics. Color changes can also be utilized to enhance the overall userexperience and legibility of rendered content in a user interface. Bychanging color contrast based on ambient light, content can be displayedmore readable in adverse lighting conditions, such as in bright outdoorlight, or in dark interior light. Color contrast can be increasedutilizing a color saturation technique, or by using complementary colorsinstead of adjacent colors for enhanced readability, where complementarycolors are pairs of colors that have an opposite hue, such as blue andyellow. In another embodiment, color temperature (i.e., a measure of theambient light in degrees Kelvin) and/or chromacity (i.e., a spectralcharacteristic of the ambient light) can be utilized to re-color balancea user interface in current or optimal ambient lighting conditions.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example 300 of a normalized ambient light range inaccordance with one or more embodiments. Example 300 includes a linearinterpolation chart 302 that illustrates ambient light normalized toprovide an ambient light value ranging from 0.0 to 1.0. In anembodiment, the ambient light value range from 0.0 to 1.0 can correspondto respective illuminance values from 0 LUX to 100,000K LUX. The ambientlight value range includes 0.0 as the minimum light and 1.0 as maximumlight which approximates values that indicate complete darkness to fullsunlight. Normal room ambient light is approximately 0.5.

The linear interpolation 302 can be defined between two values, and theambient light value along a range of y-values can be defined for eachgraphic component of a user interface element. Target y-values caninclude the values corresponding to any of the graphic components for auser interface element, such as color, double, thickness, etc. Anequation v=a+((b−a)×1) defines the linear interpolation for value types,where “v” is the target value, “a” is the first point, “b” is the secondpoint, and “1” is the progress along the linear interpolation. Theinterpolation is a function that takes the input ambient light value andmaps it to an output y-value. For example, the interpolated y-values cancorrespond to the thickness of element border 206 (FIG. 2) whentransitioning from selectable button 202 to the enhanced button 218which can be graduated over the normalized light range. A linerinterpolation chart 304 for the thickness of the element border 206illustrates that at 0.3 ambient light value, the element border 206doubles in thickness (i.e., 2y), and increases in thickness linearly toa 0.7 ambient light value. In other embodiments, the ambient light rangemay be non-linear.

In an embodiment, the element display service 132 (FIG. 1) can receivesensor input 136 and compare the sensor input to one or more thresholdvalues that indicate when the ambient light detracts from the visibilityof user interface elements displayed in a user interface. The ambientlight can be compared to a set of user values (e.g., optionallyuser-configured threshold values) that indicate minimum and maximumlighting preferences. For example, a user may indicate that for anylighting condition between the 0.3 and 0.7 ambient light values, theuser interface elements are consistent and not changed. However, if theambient lighting conditions fall below a 0.3 ambient light value, or areabove a 0.7 ambient light value (as referenced in the linearinterpolation chart 302), then the element display service 132 can beinitiated to modify individual graphic components of each user interfaceelement to enhance the visibility of the user interface elements fordisplay in the ambient light. In an embodiment, a user may optionallyconfigure the range of ambient light values (e.g., as detected by thesensors) to indicate the visibility of user interface elements invarious lighting conditions. The overall visibility of a user interfacecan be configured with user-selectable range controls displayed in auser interface, and/or with selectable and pre-defined display controls,such as any one or combination of selectors for Dark mode, Room mode,Normal mode, Outdoors mode, Sunlight mode, and the like.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example 400 of enhanced user interface elements inambient light in accordance with one or more embodiments. Example 400includes a user interface 402 illustrated as a navigation map for amapping application. The user interface 402 includes various userinterface elements, such as images 404 (e.g., roadways, bodies of water,an aerial photograph, and the like), graphics 406 (e.g., a designatedroute identified for a user), text 408, and selectable controls 410. Theuser interface 402 is an example display of the navigation map optimizedfor indoor lighting conditions, and shows detailed map information.

Example 400 also includes an enhanced user interface 412 thatillustrates the navigation map in a bright ambient lighting condition,such as when a portable device is used outdoors or in a car, and brightsunlight makes it difficult to read the display of the navigation map.In the enhanced user interface 412, some of the map detail is omitted,the contrast is maximized, and the user interface elements are enhancedfor visibility in the ambient light. For example, the images 404 (e.g.,the streets and roadways) are thicker and/or change color as abackground of the map washes out in the bright light. Further, thegraphics 406 and text 408 are enlarged and enhanced, and the selectablecontrols 410 are enhanced for visibility in bright ambient light. In analternate embodiment, the user interface of the navigation map can beenhanced for visibility in a dark ambient lighting environment.

Example method 500 is described with reference to FIG. 5 in accordancewith one or more embodiments of enhanced user interface elements inambient light. Generally, any of the functions, methods, procedures,components, and modules described herein can be implemented usinghardware, software, firmware, fixed logic circuitry, manual processing,or any combination thereof. A software implementation of a function,method, procedure, component, or module represents program code thatperforms specified tasks when executed on a computing-based processor.Example method 500 may be described in the general context ofcomputer-executable instructions, which can include software,applications, routines, programs, objects, components, data structures,procedures, modules, functions, and the like.

The method(s) may also be practiced in a distributed computingenvironment where functions are performed by remote processing devicesthat are linked through a communication network. In a distributedcomputing environment, computer-executable instructions may be locatedin both local and remote computer storage media, including memorystorage devices. Further, the features described herein areplatform-independent such that the techniques may be implemented on avariety of computing platforms having a variety of processors.

FIG. 5 illustrates example method(s) 500 of enhanced user interfaceelements in ambient light. The order in which the method is described isnot intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of thedescribed method blocks can be combined in any order to implement themethod, or an alternate method.

At block 502, sensor input is received from light sensor(s) that detectambient light proximate an integrated display of a portable device. Forexample, portable device 102 (FIG. 1) includes light sensor(s) 134 thatdetect ambient light that is local, incident, in a vicinity, orotherwise proximate the integrated display 112 of the portable device.The element display service 132 at portable device 102 receives thedetected ambient light as sensor input 136.

At block 504, the sensor input from multiple light sensors is averagedto determine an averaged ambient light proximate the integrated displayof the portable device. For example, portable device 102 can optionallyinclude multiple light sensors 134 that detect ambient light proximatean integrated display of portable device 102. The element displayservice 132 at portable device 102 receives sensor input 136 from themultiple light sensors 134 and averages the sensor inputs to determinethe averaged ambient light 142 that is local, incident, in a vicinity,or otherwise proximate the integrated display of the portable device.

At block 506, the sensor input is compared to a threshold value thatindicates when the ambient light detracts from the visibility of userinterface element(s) displayed in a user interface. For example, theelement display service 132 at portable device 102 receives sensor input136 and compares it to a sensor threshold value 144 that indicates whenthe ambient light detracts from the visibility of user interfaceelements on a user interface.

At block 508, a determination is made as to whether the ambient lightdetracts from the visibility of user interface elements displayed in auser interface on the integrated display. For example, the elementdisplay service 132 at portable device 102 determines whether theambient light, as indicated by sensor input 136, detracts from thevisibility of user interface elements displayed in a user interface. Ifthe ambient light does not detract from the visibility of the userinterface elements displayed in the user interface (i.e., “no” fromblock 508), then the method continues at block 502 to receive sensorinput.

If the ambient light does detract from the visibility of the userinterface elements displayed in the user interface (i.e., “yes” fromblock 508), then at block 510, graphic components of the user interfaceelements are modified to enhance the visibility of the user interfaceelements for display in the ambient light. For example, the elementdisplay service 132 at portable device 102 redefines vector graphicsthat each define one of the graphic components of a user interfaceelement to modify the graphic components and enhance the visibility ofthe user interface element. Each of the user interface elements areindividually enhanced for visibility in the ambient light, and/or thegraphic components of a user interface element are individually modifiedto contrast with a user interface background displayed in a userinterface. In an embodiment, the element display service 132interpolates the display properties of the graphic components of a userinterface element along a normalized light range to modify the graphiccomponents to enhance the visibility of the user interface element fordisplay in the ambient light.

FIG. 6 illustrates various components of an example device 600 that canbe implemented as any form of a portable, computing, electronic,appliance, and/or media device to implement various embodiments ofenhanced user interface elements in ambient light. For example, device600 can be implemented as portable device 102 as described withreference to FIG. 1.

Device 600 can include device content 602, such as configurationsettings of the device, media content stored on the device, and/orinformation associated with a user of the device. Media content storedon device 600 can include any type of data as well as audio, video,and/or image media content. Device 600 can include one or more contentinputs 604 via which media content can be received. In an embodiment,the content inputs 604 can include Internet Protocol (IP) inputs overwhich streams of media content are received via an IP-based network.

Device 600 further includes one or more communication interfaces 606that can be implemented as any one or more of a serial and/or parallelinterface, a wireless interface, any type of network interface, a modem,and as any other type of communication interface. The communicationinterfaces 606 provide a connection and/or communication links betweendevice 600 and a communication network by which other electronic,computing, and communication devices can communicate data with device600.

Device 600 can include one or more processors 608 (e.g., any ofmicroprocessors, controllers, and the like) which process variouscomputer-executable instructions to control the operation of device 600and to implement embodiments of enhanced user interface elements inambient light. Alternatively or in addition, device 600 can beimplemented with any one or combination of hardware, firmware, or fixedlogic circuitry that is implemented in connection with signal processingand control circuits which are generally identified at 610.

Device 600 can also include computer-readable media 612, such as one ormore memory components, examples of which include random access memory(RAM), non-volatile memory (e.g., any one or more of a read-only memory(ROM), flash memory, EPROM, EEPROM, etc.), and a disk storage device. Adisk storage device can include any type of magnetic or optical storagedevice, such as a hard disk drive, a recordable and/or rewriteablecompact disc (CD), any type of a digital versatile disc (DVD), and thelike.

Computer-readable media 612 provides data storage mechanisms to storethe device content 602, as well as various device applications 614 andany other types of information and/or data related to operationalaspects of device 600. For example, an operating system 616 can bemaintained as a computer application with the computer-readable media612 and executed on the processors 608. The device applications 614 canalso include a device manager 618 and an element display service 620. Inthis example, the device applications 614 are shown as software modulesand/or computer applications that can implement various embodiments ofenhanced user interface elements in ambient light.

Device 600 can also include an audio, video, and/or image processingsystem 622 that provides audio data to an audio system 624 and/orprovides video or image data to a display system 626. The audio system624 and/or the display system 626 can include any devices or componentsthat process, display, and/or otherwise render audio, video, and imagedata. The audio system 624 and/or the display system 626 can beimplemented as integrated components of the example device 600.Alternatively, audio system 624 and/or the display system 626 can beimplemented as external components to device 600. Video signals andaudio signals can be communicated from device 600 to an audio deviceand/or to a display device via an RF (radio frequency) link, S-videolink, composite video link, component video link, DVI (digital videointerface), analog audio connection, or other similar communicationlink.

Although not shown, device 600 can include a system bus or data transfersystem that couples the various components within the device. A systembus can include any one or combination of different bus structures, suchas a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, a universalserial bus, and/or a processor or local bus that utilizes any of avariety of bus architectures.

Although embodiments of enhanced user interface elements in ambientlight have been described in language specific to features and/ormethods, it is to be understood that the subject of the appended claimsis not necessarily limited to the specific features or methodsdescribed. Rather, the specific features and methods are disclosed asexample implementations of enhanced user interface elements in ambientlight.

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising: determining that ambientlight detracts from visibility of a user interface element displayed ina user interface; interpolating display properties of one or moregraphic components of the user interface element through a light rangefrom approximately complete darkness to full sunlight; and modifying theone or more graphic components of the user interface element based onsaid interpolating the display properties within the light range toenhance the visibility of the user interface element for display in theambient light, the one or more graphic components of the user interfaceelement individually modified to contrast with a user interfacebackground displayed in the user interface.
 2. A computer-implementedmethod as recited in claim 1, further comprising redefining a vectorgraphic that defines each of the one or more graphic components of theuser interface element to modify the one or more graphic components toenhance the visibility of the user interface element.
 3. Acomputer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprisingcomparing sensor input to a threshold value that indicates when theambient light detracts from the visibility of the user interface elementdisplayed in the user interface.
 4. A computer-implemented method asrecited in claim 1, further comprising averaging sensor input frommultiple light sensors to determine an averaged ambient light.
 5. Acomputer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:determining that the ambient light detracts from the visibility ofmultiple user interface elements displayed in the user interface; andindividually enhancing the visibility of each user interface element fordisplay in the ambient light.
 6. A computer-implemented method asrecited in claim 1, further comprising: determining that the ambientlight detracts from the visibility of multiple user interface elementsdisplayed in the user interface; and individually modifying the one ormore graphic components of each user interface element to enhance thevisibility of the user interface elements for display in the ambientlight.
 7. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, furthercomprising receiving sensor input from one or more light sensors thatdetect the ambient light;
 8. A portable device, comprising: anintegrated display configured to display a user interface; a processorsystem to implement an element display service that is configured to:determine that ambient light detracts from visibility of a userinterface element displayed in the user interface; linearly interpolatedisplay properties of one or more graphic components of the userinterface element through a light range from approximately completedarkness to full sunlight; and modify the one or more graphic componentsof the user interface element based on the interpolated displayproperties within the light range to enhance the visibility of the userinterface element for display in the ambient light, the one or moregraphic components of the user interface element individually modifiableto contrast with a user interface background displayed in the userinterface on the integrated display.
 9. A portable device as recited inclaim 8, wherein the element display service is further configured toredefine a vector graphic that defines each of the one or more graphiccomponents of the user interface element to modify the one or moregraphic components to enhance the visibility of the user interfaceelement.
 10. A portable device as recited in claim 8, wherein theelement display service is further configured to compare sensor input toa threshold value that indicates when the ambient light detracts fromthe visibility of the user interface element displayed in the userinterface on the integrated display.
 11. A portable device as recited inclaim 8, wherein the element display service is further configured toaverage sensor input from multiple light sensors to determine anaveraged ambient light proximate the integrated display.
 12. A portabledevice as recited in claim 8, wherein the element display service isfurther configured to: determine that the ambient light detracts fromthe visibility of multiple user interface elements displayed in the userinterface on the integrated display; and individually enhance thevisibility of each user interface element for display in the ambientlight.
 13. A portable device as recited in claim 8, wherein the elementdisplay service is further configured to: determine that the ambientlight detracts from the visibility of multiple user interface elementsdisplayed in the user interface on the integrated display; andindividually modify the one or more graphic components of each userinterface element to enhance the visibility of the user interfaceelements for display in the ambient light.
 14. A portable device asrecited in claim 8, further comprising one or more light sensorsconfigured to detect the ambient light proximate the integrated displayand generate sensor input to the element display service.
 15. One ormore computer-readable media comprising stored computer-executableinstructions that, when executed by one or more processors, initiate anelement display service to: determine that ambient light detracts fromvisibility of a user interface element displayed in a user interface;linearly interpolate display properties of one or more graphiccomponents of the user interface element through a light range fromapproximately complete darkness to full sunlight; and modify the one ormore graphic components of the user interface element to contrast with auser interface background displayed in the user interface, the one ormore graphic components modified based on the interpolated displayproperties within the light range to enhance the visibility of the userinterface element for display in the ambient light.
 16. One or morecomputer-readable media as recited in claim 15, further comprising thestored computer-executable instructions that, when executed, initiatethe element display service to redefine a vector graphic that defineseach of the one or more graphic components of the user interface elementto modify the one or more graphic components to enhance the visibilityof the user interface element.
 17. One or more computer-readable mediaas recited in claim 15, further comprising the storedcomputer-executable instructions that, when executed, initiate theelement display service to compare sensor input to a threshold valuethat indicates when the ambient light detracts from the visibility ofthe user interface element displayed in the user interface on theintegrated display.
 18. One or more computer-readable media as recitedin claim 15, further comprising the stored computer-executableinstructions that, when executed, initiate the element display serviceto average sensor input from multiple light sensors to determine anaveraged ambient light proximate the integrated display of the portabledevice.
 19. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 15,further comprising the stored computer-executable instructions that,when executed, initiate the element display service to: determine thatthe ambient light detracts from the visibility of multiple userinterface elements displayed in the user interface on the integrateddisplay; and individually enhance the visibility of each user interfaceelement for display in the ambient light.
 20. One or morecomputer-readable media as recited in claim 15, further comprising thestored computer-executable instructions that, when executed, initiatethe element display service to: determine that the ambient lightdetracts from the visibility of multiple user interface elementsdisplayed in the user interface on the integrated display; andindividually modify the one or more graphic components of each userinterface element to enhance the visibility of the user interfaceelements for display in the ambient light.